Ethiopia or bust

So, remember the Super-secret summer adventure I hinted at in my last post? It is no longer a super secret, because here's the story. While sitting in church one snowy morning in March, a video clip played on the large overhead screens. In this video, children in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia were shown living in a huge garbage dump. Most of them are orphans. The video also talked about how they had received scholarships to attend and live at a Christian school called the Bright Hope School, but only through the school year. In order for them to be able to attend the school in the fall, they must attend summer camp. There are around 400 children who will be attending. At the very end of the video it asked if anyone felt called to be part of the ten person team and help lead summer camp and bring God's love to these children. My heart screamed "YES!" but at the time I still had not heard from Clydehurst and my possible employment there. But I didn't stop thinking about those kids, the video played over and over in my head. When I heard from Clydehurst I was devastated but within a few days I began to think even more about Ethiopia. A week later I attended an informational meeting about the trip. The cost is $3,000, and if I wasn't destined to go, that alone would have stopped me, not including that I didn't have a passport and that except for a family vacation to Canada I've never been out of the country. But it didn't stop me, and immediately after the meeting I was at home filling out the application for the trip. That night I handed it in to the trip organizer, but I only had to wait for her to read the first pages for her to say "you're coming." I asked again and again if indeed I really was going but the answer never changed. So now, in August of this year we'll leave for the most life-altering three weeks of my life, and I couldn't be more excited. My entire summer fell into place in less than one week. Fund raising and working my buns off will consume my days, but I wouldn't have it any other way. God is surprising. Two months ago I wouldn't have imagined this, but tonight the team has their first meeting and I'm blessed enough to be part of it. I prayed for adventure, I prayed for a chance to help people in a big way, I prayed to be a part of God's plan, and I miraculously got all three at the same time. $3,000 dollars? It seemed impossible but now I know God will get us there. I know a lot of you wonderful readers out there aren't religious, and that I talk about God a lot in this post, but I have to write it because know that He's behind all of these miracles. But if you do believe in God, pray for me. Because I need your help.